


while you're traveling with me

by abovetheruins



Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: 1 Sentence Fiction, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-08
Updated: 2014-09-08
Packaged: 2018-02-16 15:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2274939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abovetheruins/pseuds/abovetheruins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>50 sentences exploring the bond between Sam and Bumblebee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	while you're traveling with me

**Author's Note:**

> thank/blame michael bay for making me ship a giant alien robot and a teenage boy with the fiery hot passion of a thousand suns. written for the 1_sentence community using theme set alpha. I've never written for this fandom/pairing before so consider this a trial run of sorts! comments are appreciated!
> 
> each sentence is unrelated to the others unless otherwise indicated.

**1\. Comfort**  
  
His apartment on base comes with a freight elevator and ceilings high enough to accommodate even an Autobot; when the nightmares startle Sam awake – Scalpel scuttling up his torso, his parents captured by crazed Decepticons, Megatron chasing him across the ruins of Mission City – Bee is there, the warm hum of his machinery and the soft blue glow of his optics enough to soothe Sam back to sleep.   
  
 **2\. Kiss**  
  
There's a definite power imbalance between them, Sam knows, which is to be expected - giant alien robot, human boy, it's a no brainer who's the stronger of the two - but he's figured out a few things over the years to counterbalance that, chief among which is the way Bee's entire frame will shudder whenever Sam presses a kiss to the Autobot insignia on his helmet.  
  
 **3\. Soft**  
  
Sam slumbers in the backseat, snoring softly while Bee drives them home, and – as so often is the case – the Autobot marvels at the inherent softness of his human, from the boy's worn jeans and cotton hoodie to the warm cheek and open palm pressed to Bee's upholstery.  
  
 **4\. Pain**  
  
Something breaks in Sam at the sound of Bee's cries, something that makes his chest tight and hot and makes him move, makes him lunge at the Sector Seven goons even when he knows he's got no chance in hell against them.   
  
 **5\. Potatoes**  
  
Sam only takes two steps out of the restaurant before Bee's headlights flash, the depression of the door locks audible even from a distance; he eats his cheese fries on Bee's hood instead and considers it a compromise.   
  
 **6\. Rain**  
  
When summer showers blanket Tranquility for a solid week Bee makes it a point to cake his armor in as much mud and muck as possible; he assures Sam that it's unintentional, but after the third late night wash down, Bee stretched out in a lazy sprawl and engine humming contently as Sam scrubs at his chest plate, the boy's not buying any of that.  
  
 **7\. Chocolate**  
  
Bee takes matters into his own hands after a week of watching Sam sulk in the confines of his bedroom, dumping a small mountain of packaged chocolate products at the boy's feet; at Sam's slightly bewildered look, Bee feigns innocence, insisting that "I was under the impression that humans partook in its overconsumption after going through a break up?" which succeeds – as Bee hoped it would – in startling a laugh out of Sam.   
  
 **8\. Happiness**  
  
"Get the car, get the girl" had been Sam's mantra since he had been old enough to drive; years later he wonders what that younger Sam would think of his life now, Ambassador to an alien race, battle-scarred and a little world weary, without the girl but happier – happiest, even – with the car.   
  
 **9\. Telephone**  
  
Sam had been the one to push for it – college all the way across the country, the chance to be independent, the chance to be  _normal_  – but he still has moments where he aches with homesickness, where he misses the absurdity of his life back in Tranquility, and so he'll cluster himself away in his dorm and call his guardian, the tight knot in his chest uncoiling the moment he hears Bee's voice.  
  
 **10\. Ears**  
  
Bumblebee has learned a great deal about his charge over the years, from his likes to his dislikes, the sometimes mercurial changes to his mood – in relation to his parents or his peers, most often – and, of particular fondness to the Autobot, the way Sam's ears will flare an angry, vibrant red whenever Bee plays exceedingly racy lyrics.   
  
 **11\. Name**  
  
There's something eminently pleasing about the way Sam says his name –  _"Bumblebee! Bee. Hey, Bee?"_  – that no other being on Earth, or Cybertron, or any of the vast worlds in between has been able to emulate.  
  
 **12\. Sensual**  
  
The slide of Bee's fingers against his back sends minute shivers up Sam's spine, the touch far too lingering to be anything but intimate.  
  
 **13\. Death**  
  
Sam falls in Egypt and Bumblebee follows, crashing to his knees in the harsh desert sands, the whole of him crying out with pain and loss and the surety that he had  _failed_.  
  
 **14\. Sex**  
  
After months of being drawn into awkward conversations fraught with half-started sentences, lack of eye contact, the relentless confusion of Sam's heightened pheromones and enough nervous energy to drive even Ratchet crazy, the medic bot does the entire base a favor and locks both Bumblebee and his human charge in a deserted hanger, leaving them to figure out the logistics for themselves.  
  
 **15\. Touch**  
  
Sam has always been very tactile with him, even before he knew of Bee's true form, the stroke of a thumb across the insignia on his steering wheel or the drag of fingertips across his hood an expression of honest affection – and yes, possession – from the unassuming human boy who'd taken him home.   
  
 **16\. Weakness**  
  
There is a drive within Bee's spark to protect Sam, to guard the human from harm, and rather than hinder Bee, rather than make him clumsy or distracted in battle, that drive makes him fiercer, keener, his mantle as guardian and friend to Samuel James Witwicky a weapon unlike any other.  
  
 **17\. Tears**  
  
Sam bursts into the med bay while Bumblebee's being repaired, Ratchet hard at work on the yellow bot's missing arm; the damage is extensive but not fatal, and Sam  _knows_  that, he does, but it doesn't stop the rush of snot and tears down his face any more than Bee's alarmed chirp of his name.   
  
 **18\. Speed**  
  
A deserted highway is always an opportunity for Bee to show off, the Camaro reaching speeds no earth vehicle could be capable of, and though Sam puts up a token protest – "120's kind of pushing it, Bee!" – the thrill of high speeds and burning asphalt is contagious, the roar of Bee's engine thrumming in his bones.  
  
 **19\. Wind**  
  
Bee races across the open plain with Sam on his shoulder, peds pounding against the earth and the other Autobots far behind, no match against their smallest but most agile comrade, Sam's shrieks of laughter and breathless commands to go faster swallowed up by the wind.  
  
 **20\. Freedom**  
  
Sam spends his last weekend in the dorms packing up his stuff for the summer, a knot of excitement and anticipation sitting in his gut; every few minutes he stops and smiles goofily at his calendar, the words  _Roadtrip with Bee!_  circled in bright red marker.  
  
 **21\. Life**  (companion to #13)  
  
Bumblebee is reluctant to leave Sam's side, after Egypt, and though the boy huffs and makes a show of feigning annoyance at his guardian's overprotectiveness, he never begrudges Bee the opportunity to keep an eye on him, hiding his relief and gratitude in the curve of a teasing smile.  
  
 **22\. Jealousy**  
  
Bee's got this  _thing_  about Sam riding in other cars; Bee calls it concern, citing the unpredictability of Earth vehicles and accident statistics in that no-nonsense accent of his and, "As your guardian, Sam, your safety is my top priority," but Sam – privately – calls it for what it is.   
  
 **23\. Hands**  
  
Sam likes to rest his hands against Bee's hood when they're in public, a casual enough gesture that it goes unnoticed by anybody but the bot practically thrumming beneath his palms; it's heady in a way Sam tries not to think about when the Camaro arches against his touch, the slick slide of warm metal against his skin lingering even after he steps away.  
  
 **24\. Taste**  
  
With a hiss of hydraulics Bumblebee's chest armor lifts and separates, revealing the hot blue glow of his spark; Sam reaches down into the chamber, lips parted on a sharp intake of breath and the taste of ozone and electricity coating his tongue.  
  
 **25\. Devotion**  
  
Bee tells him, "You're the most important person in my life," even after Sam screws up, even after he gets Optimus  _killed_ , and beneath the wave of gratitude and relief that he feels at the bot's words there lurks an overwhelming sense of  _fear_ , because how can he possibly be worth it?  
  
 **26\. Forever**  
  
Sam jokes about the grey at his temples, the way his old battle wounds ache when it rains, grinning that perpetual boyish grin of his when he says, "I'm getting old, Bee," and though the Autobot never shows any outward signs of distress, inside his chest his spark shudders with fear, because how much time do they really have left?  
  
 **27\. Blood**  
  
They might not be family in the traditional sense, with no blood or spark shared between them to mark that kind of connection, but they have a bond just the same, forged of shrapnel and steel and a frantic race across a crumbling city, the life-blood of his world held in Sam's small hands.   
  
 **28\. Sickness**  
  
Bee spends a week parked outside his window while Sam is bed-ridden with the flu, fretting enough over the boy's condition to put even Judy Witwicky to shame, until finally Sam shuffles himself into the bot's back seat, blankets and all, and settles in to sleep amid the familiar hum of Bee's scans.  
  
 **29\. Melody**  
  
Sam thinks there's a sense of music to Bumblebee, a melody in the whir of his engine and the constant hum of his machinery, a rhythm to the way he moves, graceful in a way that shouldn't be possible for a being of his size.  
  
 **30\. Star**  
  
They spend one warm summer night stargazing at the overlook, Sam pointing out the constellations he knows and Bee easily filling in the blanks on the ones he doesn't via the web; after a lull in conversation, Sam dozing on the cool metal plates of Bee's chest, the Autobot softly speaks of Cybertron's own stars, Sam listening with rapt attention and pressing his hand to the seam above his guardian's spark whenever Bee's voice wavers.  
  
 **31\. Home**  
  
His world is gone, lost to the ravages of time and a war long fought, yet he is content, finding in this strange alien planet and with the young Witwicky boy a new sense of purpose, a new sense of belonging, and – against all odds – a new home.   
  
 **32\. Confusion**  
  
They're the base's worst kept secret, honestly, the infamous Ambassador Witwicky and his Autobot guardian; after the first dozen times some new recruit gets up the guff to ask him about it, most of them wearing the same incredulous expression like what they've heard couldn't possibly be true, Sam's stopped being annoyed and is now mostly just amused, particularly of their slack-jawed disbelief when he actually answers in the affirmative.  
  
 **33\. Fear**  
  
Sam may be an extraordinary boy, savior of the Earth on more than one occasion, but he is still  _human_ , and the fragility of his kind, the ease to which he could be damaged beyond repair in any of the skirmishes he is unwittingly dragged into between the Autobots and the remaining Decepticons haunts Bumblebee late in the night, his recharge periods disturbed by scenarios of battles long past in which one misstep, one nanosecond of negligence on his part could have resulted in the death of his charge.  
  
 **34\. Lightning/Thunder**  
  
Sam's always loved summer storms, the thick scent of ozone in the air and the quick, hot rush of wind against his face; Bee takes to racing through the thick of them, static electricity prickling along Sam's skin as they take to roads deserted in the wake of the gale, flashes of lightning illuminating the sleek lines of the Camaro as they race against the wind.  
  
 **35\. Bonds**  
  
Part of Sam shies guiltily away from any conversations about college with Bumblebee; he knows their friendship can survive the distance, but he worries that Bee won't understand why this is the best course of action for both of them, that they need a chance to be more than just "Sam's car" and "the savior of Mission City."  
  
 **36\. Market**  
  
Whether you're dating a human girl or a giant alien robot, Sam figures, the one year anniversary is A Big Deal; figuring out what to get said giant alien robot for the aforementioned anniversary is, to put it lightly, completely fucking impossible, and scouring the local shopping centers is getting him nowhere.   
  
 **37\. Technology**  
  
Sam marvels at the palm pressed lightly against his own, the skin solid, warm, and with just the right amount of give, mumbling "crazy, Bee, this is so fucking crazy" under his breath as Bee's holoform smiles, everything about him so strangely unfamiliar save the startling glow of his blue eyes.  
  
 **38\. Gift**  (companion to #36)  
  
Sam's shame at ending up empty-handed is nothing compared to the flush of embarrassed pleasure he feels as Bee gently chides him, saying, "All I require is your company, Sam."  
  
 **39\. Smile**  
  
Bee's facial structure isn't exactly conducive to smiling, the "O" shape of his mouth vent making him look surprised more than anything else; he radiates happiness and contentment in other ways, in the glow of his optics and the twitch of his door wings, in the soft cadence of his cultured voice and the touch of warm servos to Sam's cheek.   
  
 **40\. Innocence**  
  
Sam's no innocent to war or love, but  _this_  – staring at the open cavity of Bumblebee's spark chamber, feeling the ridge of metal fingers against his back as Bee pulls him closer, voice groaning "Touch, Sam" in a metallic whir – is something else entirely.   
  
 **41\. Completion**  
  
He cannot truly spark bond with a being who has no spark, cannot ever be with Sam as he would with another of his own kind, yet Bee feels complete regardless, content and at ease with his human charge, such that it overshadows even the myriad of differences between their species.  
  
 **42\. Clouds**  
  
Sometimes they sneak off, Sam ducking out of school and Bee dodging a training session or two at the base to spend time at the overlook, Sam lounging back on Bumblebee's hood in a lazy sprawl, pointing out shapes in the clouds until the warm afternoon sunlight lulls him to sleep.  
  
 **43\. Sky**  
  
The riotous orange and red mix of Earth’s sunsets is so different from Cybertron’s own that at times it floods Bee’s processor with a wave of melancholy; Sam calls it homesickness, and though he doesn’t understand the depths of Bee’s yearning for his long lost home world, his companionable silence helps to ease the ache.   
  
 **44\. Heaven**  
  
There are moments when Sam looks at what his life has become – liaison to the Autobots, treasured friend of an alien species, ward and friend of the most kickass Camaro in the  _world_  – and feels an overwhelming sense of gratitude to his younger self, for pushing his teacher for that grade, for chasing after what he thought was a car thief, for knowing the truth of that strange Camaro’s origins and still getting in the car despite his fear.  
  
 **45\. Hell**  (companion to #44)  
  
There are also moments when Sam remembers the smell of burning metal and spilled energon, the loss of friends both human and Autobot alike, and above all the helplessness he’d felt when Bee had pressed the All Spark into his trembling hands, the yellow bot’s legs splintered and useless.  
  
 **46\. Sun**  
  
During the day Bee retains the guise of a Camaro, the constraints of an alien world and secrecy keeping him contained to his alt. form, and though he assures Sam that the limitations placed upon him don’t bother him, the boy makes it a point to frequent the overlook so that he can transform away from prying eyes.   
  
 **47\. Moon**  (companion to #46)  
  
Nights are opportunities for freedom; sequestered away in the relative safety of Sam’s backyard, hidden from any prying eyes by the privacy hedges Mr. Witwicky is so fond of, Bee will crouch at Sam’s window and pass the night in companionable camaraderie, content to stretch his legs in the spacious yard – being mindful not to disturb the grass, of course – and enjoy the company of his human ward.   
  
 **48\. Waves**  
  
The beach is deserted save for the two of them; Bee's not a fan of the sand and grit that seems to get into  _everything_ , prompting a thorough wash down once they return to the base, but he does enjoy watching Sam dive into the ocean swells spilling onto the shore, laughing as he tries to cajole Bee into the water.  
  
 **49\. Hair**  
  
Bumblebee asks for Sam's help in "deciding on an adequate holographic form," which ultimately leads to a blank-faced holo Bee trying out a somewhat dazzling array of hair styles – "What exactly is the cultural significance of a 'mohawk', Sam?" – until Sam is breathless with laughter.   
  
 **50\. Supernova**  (companion to #40)  
  
The first hesitant touch of Sam's hands to his spark sends a white hot burst of sensation through Bee's processor; he marvels, through the overheated whir of his engine and the grind of his vocal processor, how a being so much smaller than he can reduce him to this.

**Author's Note:**

> most of these were too literal gomen gomen
> 
> I'm happy with some of these and not-so-happy with others, but mostly just satisfied that I was able to finish at all. don't ever let anyone tell you that writing 50 sentences isn't hard as hell.


End file.
